Bid to ease car parking woes in tourist area

Double yellow lines could be removed from parts of South Shore in a bid to ease parking woes.

Consultation is currently taking place on a revised parking scheme which would help create around 285 new spaces.

Coun Fred Jackson

Other proposals are to reduce the width of pavements in roads including Wellington Road, Woodfield Road, Crystal Road and Shaw Road to enable vehicles to park on each side of the road.

A residents permit scheme could also be introduced in the area which covers the triangle of streets bordered by Lytham Road, Waterloo Road and Bolton Street.

Hoteliers have been invited to a consultation session from 2pm until 6pm today, with business owners invited to a session between 2pm and 6pm tomorrow, both at St Peter’s Church Hall on Lytham Road.

The proposals have been drawn up in response to calls for a solution to pressure on the existing parking spaces.

Double yellow lines have also been put down and that has led to a loss of spaces

Noreen Westhead of the Camelot House Hotel on Crystal Road said: “There is nowhere near enough spaces and since some of the hotels on our street have been converted to family homes, it has made it worse because they have one or two cars.

“Double yellow lines have also been put down and that has led to a loss of spaces.

“There is not enough room for us to park, never mind our guests, and sometimes you end up having to park on Lytham Road.”

Coun Fred Jackson, Blackpool Council’s cabinet member for municipal assets, said: “For some time now, our councillors in Bloomfield ward, Coun Cain and Coun Jones, have been expressing concern, on behalf of residents, about finding a positive solution to parking problems in the area between Lytham Road, Waterloo Road and Bolton Street.

“As a result, our highways department has suggested a new permit scheme for people to consider.

“If local residents and hoteliers support the scheme, we will look to introduce it.

“If they do not, we will consider further options until we find a solution.